every Prince, a Cinderella ... Ava Kennon as Cinderella and Brooks Leschinski as the Prince, take both Biggar schools through a very fun and entertaining rendition of the classic tale at the Majestic Theatre, Wednesday, November 20. The wicked mother and her daughters (inset picture) and the whole of the cast, crew and director Janelle Leschinski, should be very proud of their effort, especially during the local celebrations of Canada Music Week. (Independent Photos by Kevin Brautigam)
While the weather outside was unsportsmanlike, inside the Jubilee Stadium, Biggar Minor Hockey held their annual Hockey Days, Saturday and Sunday. Again, the weather played a factor, not so much on the ice, but on the travel plans for visiting teams. Still, Biggar athletes hit the ice to play the Great Canadian Game, converting effort and desire into hard play and good sportsmanship. An excellent glimpse into the hockey fortunes of Biggar. (Independent Photos by Kevin Brautigam)
Information meeting for Farm in the Dell, Biggar a huge success!
by Dale Buxton of The
Independent Construction for Farm in the Dell has a target date of late 2025, according to an information meeting, November 21, making the long awaited project a reality.
Farm in the Dell is a non-profit organization that strives to enhance the emotional, physical, and spiritual lives of individuals with developmental disabilities through residential, vocational, recreational, and community services. In its humble beginnings, Farm in the Dell
began with a conversation on a fishing trip in northern Saskatchewan leading to incorporation in 2009 with the first home complete in 2010 in Aberdeen. Today Aberdeen has two homes for 17 residents.
Farm in the Dell began working on a project for Biggar in 2021, and as of September of 2024 the Government of Saskatchewan announced that the funding for Farm in the Dell in Biggar would be approved.
The land for this project is being supplied and donated by the Town of Biggar and the road that
leads into the farm will be made and donated by the Rural Municipality of Biggar.
The first home proposed for Biggar will be a residence for five female and five male residents. Joined together, these buildings will become the forever homes for the residents that qualify to become part of Farm in the Dell.
The province has committed to a $1.25M a year for operating costs. However that doesn’t include the costs for equipment and maintenance. Farm in the Dell Biggar is looking
for $700,000 in a start up cost that will get this project off the ground. The project is looking to employ 20 people in Biggar.
Mayor Jim Rickwood was the MC for the evening and in his comments said that this project is not about the Town of Biggar or about the RM of Biggar but it’s about community and how our community will help to get this project off the ground and to embrace Farm in the Dell as part of the community.
Lynette Zacharias and Jason Watt from the
RM of Biggar council minute highlights
The regular meeting of the RM of Biggar No. 347 was held October 15 at the municipal office at 9 a.m. Attending were Reeve Jeanne-Marie de Moissac, Councillors Melanie Peiffer, Dale Thomson, and Brian Watson, Administrator Sandi Silvernagle, Assistant Administrator Maria Danychuk, and Foreman Darren Comstock.
The following are some highlights of the meeting.
Council met with Fred Boisvert from Boisvert Underground Services via conference call to discuss road access to the RM gravel pit.
• 9:50 a.m. Councillor Greg Mundt arrived at the meeting.
• 10:11 a.m. Councillor Dale Thomson left the meeting.
Council resolved that the September Bank Reconciliation and Financial Statement be received and filed.
• 10:24 a.m. Councillor Thomson returned to the meeting.
Council resolved payments for cheques, online payments, online utility, Mastercard, monthly remittances, and September payroll in the amount of $689,247.68 be approved.
Council heard October verbal reports from Division 2, 3, 5 and 6, as well as the Reeve, Foreman and Administrator verbal reports, all accepted as presented. Administration con-
tacted four local contractors regarding a Request for Quote to haul and stockpile 4,750 yards of gravel to the Monarch Well site. No tenders were received. Administration reached out to another party who expressed interest, and a Request for Quote package was received. Upon review of the quote, Council decided that due to budgetary constraints, this project will be readdressed and tendered in the new year.
Council approved and passed the probationary period for Darren Comstock and Chris Kinzel, effective immediately.
Council approved the Application and Approval for Road Approach from Deborah Robinson
for the widening of the approach at NW 05-3617 W3, and to build an approach at NE 06-3617 W3.
Council accepted the quote from WSP in the amount of $13,673 for the closure of the Springwater Landfill. Council advised Administration to continue working with WSP and discontinue working the the KGS Group.
Council reviewed the Quantities and Cost Estimate Sheet provided by WSP for the construction of the road leading to Farm in the Dell, and advised Administration to sign the consultant agreement with WSP. • Meeting adjourned at 2:51 p.m.
Seussical set for next weekend ... New Creation Community Players Junior cast, Anara Hoppe, Malia Hadden, Amelia Smith and Kabrie Metz (left to right) go through a dress rehearsal at the Majestic Theatre, Saturday. The Junior cast offering runs December 7 and 8, tickets on sale at deMoissac Jewellers or ticketpro.ca. It promises to be a fun and engaging take on the classic Dr. Seuss tale. (Independent
Aberdeen’s Farm in the Dell provided information about the history and operations of their location and the model of the Biggar location.
There are many ways that you can get involved with this project: cash donations, equipment donations or by simply lending a helping hand in getting the farm oper-
ating. There is a local board that is in place to take much needed donations. To contact the local board please e-mail info@farminthedell. com or directors@farminthedell.com
This is a fantastic opportunity for our community all help is welcomed.
Biggar RCMP Report
by Sgt. Dereck Crozier, Biggar Detachment
This past week the detachment received 27 calls for various things. In traffic, eight drivers received educational reminders on road safety and a report was received of a 2005 grey Saturn Ion driving erratically around town. The driver was located and provided with a monetary reminder.
An abandoned red Dodge left in the middle of the road near Duperow was located and towed - vehicle was stolen out of the Oakdale RM.
It is the season of fraud
again or maybe it just never really stops. No new elaborate scams to report on. The usually purchase of gift cards and providing numbers to the scammer on the other end of the phone to receive something you are never going to get. Attempt to get a person’s banking information by checking a problem with their account and having them withdraw money from their account to check it. And finally, $ 24,000 lost to Bit Coin, forever!
An ongoing neighbour dispute in Perdue, the feud has led to a revving truck engine followed by the “one finger salute”. Apparently, the meaning of this universal correspondence between them needed a police interpreter. As they say, “it takes two”. Take care out there!
On November 22, at approximately 10:30 a.m., Unity RCMP received a report of a robbery at a business on Main Street in Landis. Officers immediately responded. Investigation determined a suspect entered the business, demanded cash from employees and threatened them with a handgun. He then fled on foot.
No physical injuries were reported to police. The suspect is described as male and between 5’6” and 5’8”. He was last seen wearing black sweatpants, a
black hoodie, sunglasses and a grey and blue camouflage bandana over his face. Unity RCMP are actively working to locate the suspect with the assistance of Saskatchewan RCMP Police Dog Services and the Biggar and Cut Knife RCMP. If you see him, do not approach him. Contact RCMP immediately by dialling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or saskcrimestoppers. com
Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
Architectural drawings of the Farm in the Dell residence.
Lynette Zacharias. Jason Watt. (Independent Photos by Dale Buxton)
by Doug Firby, former Editorial Page Editor, Calgary Herald
There is a huge gap between what happens in Ottawa or Washington, DC, and what happens in Stratford, Ontario, or Weyburn, Saskatchewan.
That is why I am trying not to get caught up in all the hand-wringing over the likely election of Pierre Axe-The-Tax Poilievre as prime minister of Canada or the impending return of the soul-less Donald Trump as president of the Divided States.
Yes, both of these events will have an impact on our economy, in the price of goods we buy, the jobs we gain or lose, and ultimately our progress on building a better social framework than the one we inherited, as well as our ability to address threats like climate change.
Some of my U.S. friends hate everything Donald Trump stands for and have declared they will move to Canada when he takes power. I understand the disgust they feel for those who voted that
reckless fool back into power, and yet I wonder whether running north to a country they may not fully understand is the right response.
This flee-U.S. phenomenon is not new. Canada was built on the influx of United Empire Loyalists after the American Revolution in the late 18th century. In more recent times, Canada became home to conscientious objectors during the Vietnam War in the 1960s and early ’70s. But what does this new generation of emotional refugees know about the Canada of today? And, if it’s not to avoid going to war, what exactly are they trying to escape? I want to ask them whether they’ve thought about staying home and trying to correct the course of their own country. I also want to ask them what they expect of us. Are we to be nothing more than a Due South cliché of naïve virtue in their minds? What happens when they begin to understand the very real challenges our country faces? What happens
when they discover our prime minister-in-waiting is also an anti-vax, climate change skeptic? And what do my wife and I choose to do about our plans to visit the United States? We love exploring the rural loneliness of Montana, the rugged coast of Oregon, the spectacular parks of southern Utah and the towering redwoods of California. We love the studiously eclectic little holes-inthe-wall in forgotten towns off America’s blue highways. We also love the countless encounters with kindhearted Americans who just want to be hospitable.
Knowing that some of us are on opposite sides of a great divide, will we be able to look them in the eye and still find a way to connect?
I remember travelling to a country music festival in rural Montana shortly after Trump was first elected president in 2016. I honestly didn’t know what to expect, and yet almost everyone I met there apologetically made a point of saying, “I didn’t vote
for him.” I remember thinking, well then, if none of you chose this guy, then who the hell did?
Avoidance. That’s probably what we’ll all do. The story is too raw, the rhetoric too heated, the beliefs too fossilized for any of us to try to have a civil conversation or reach a deeper understanding.
I am in the cohort that believes Trump’s term in power will have farreaching and devastating consequences on the U.S.’s democratic institutions, its healthcare, its education system, its national security and its economy. History, I believe, will look back at this election as the tipping point in which the American Dream was officially declared dead and this once-great superpower will begin an unstoppable slide into decline.
In fact, I believe the election of Trump is more a symptom than a cause - a desperate Hail Mary for an elusive carefree prosperity that can never be regained and probably always was more illusory than real.
For those reasons, when I meet my American friends, I will look at them with regret and empathy. I will know that some of them may not yet be aware of what the future holds for their once-swaggering country, their families and their futures.
And I will also wonder what it will mean for Canada - a country that long ago knuckled under the overwhelming cultural, economic and military power of its neighbour to the south. What now, now that we must figure out how to stand on our own in a hostile world?
Ultimately, I fear we will once again mimic
the social shifts that are happening south of the border. Will we also allow ourselves to become a less-caring, narcissistic nation in which misogyny is tolerated, and TV personalities become our experts?
Or will we hold fast to our values as a country with a clear worldview and a powerful sense of communality?
There are forces at work in Canada that would like us to go down the road to a more authoritarian state. Now, more than ever, those of us who care must stand firmly against it.
Because if we fail, there is nowhere to flee.
GST holiday a recipe for inflation
by Sylvain Charlebois, Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Dalhousie Univer-
sity
Trudeau is cooking up inflation: His GST holiday sets the stage for higher prices
The Trudeau government has announced a temporary GST/HST holiday on select food purchases, effective from Dec. 14 to Feb. 15.
Framed as a measure to help Canadians during the holidays and challenging winter months, the policy appears generous on the surface. However, a closer look reveals that its economic impact may be far less transformative than the political narrative suggests.
While the government touts the policy as meaningful relief, the actual savings for most Canadians are modest. Over two months, the average household could save just $4.51 on grocery taxes and $19.51 on dining out. For a few, particularly those splurging
on luxury dining or alcohol, the savings might add up. For the majority, however, this “GST vacation” feels more like a token gesture than significant economic support.
One group stands to gain significantly from this policy: restaurants. Canadians already spend a record $187 per month dining out, and the tax break could encourage even more dining out during the holiday season. For instance, a $29 burger meal through Uber Eats might yield more savings than cooking a homemade holiday dinner. Meanwhile, the cost of grocery staples like ground beef remains unchanged.
This unintended prioritization raises questions about the policy’s alignment with its intended purpose. Holidays are traditionally a time for home cooking and sharing meaningful meals with loved ones. By making dining out more financially attrac-
tive, the measure risks undermining the cultural and economic value of preparing meals at home.
Taxing food, particularly necessities like groceries, has long been controversial. Many argue it’s regressive and even immoral, as food is a basic necessity. While the temporary removal of GST on select grocery items is welcome, its short-term nature introduces confusion and risks unintended inflationary effects.
Retail food pricing operates on razorthin margins, and grocers may adjust prices upward to offset the perceived tax exemption. A permanent GST exemption, by contrast, would avoid this uncertainty, providing clarity and stability for both consumers and retailers. Instead, the two-month tax holiday risks creating temporary distortions in food pricing that could exacerbate inflation in an already strained food
economy.
Adding to the mix is the government’s decision to issue $250 cash transfers to millions of Canadians. While these payments may offer short-term relief, they also inject additional demand into an already overheated economy. Without addressing structural issues in food supply chains, these payments risk driving up prices further, worsening affordability for all Canadians.
The combination of these measures - a temporary tax holiday and direct cash transfers - reflects a pattern of short-term solutions that fail to address the root causes of food inflation.
Another challenge is the lack of clarity surrounding the tax holiday. In most provinces, there is little transparency about which grocery items are taxed. Quebec is the exception, requiring signage to indicate taxed items.
Without clear guidelines, Canadians may struggle to understand which items qualify for the exemption and how much they’re actually saving. The temporary nature of the policy only adds to the confusion.
Prime Minister Trudeau’s GST holiday casts him as Canada’s Santa Claus, delivering a modest gift to Canadians just in time for the holidays. While the measure may be appreciated by some, its poorly targeted and short-term nature raises serious concerns.
By incentivizing dining out over home cooking, the policy risks undermining family traditions and worsening longterm affordability challenges.
Though well-intentioned, the gesture falls short of addressing Canada’s deeper issues with food affordability and inflation. What Canadians truly need is comprehensive, structural change - such as a permanent GST exemp-
tion on all grocery items. This would provide clarity, stability, and meaningful financial relief without the unintended consequences of shortterm fixes.
In the end, Canadians deserve more than a holiday season bandaid. Addressing food inflation and affordability requires thoughtful, long-term policies - not a fleeting tax holiday or cash payments that risk fuelling higher prices. Trudeau may play the role of Santa Claus this season, but lasting solutions require leadership that looks beyond the immediate political calendar. A GST exemption on all grocery items would have been a far better gift for Canadians - a permanent measure to support families and stabilize the food economy. Until then, Canadians are left with a confusing, short-lived policy that does little to ease the burden of rising food costs.
Bob Mason Notable Notes
We have always been led to believe that people learn by their mistakes, and that sentiment is mostly right. It should really be kept because, according to me, one of society’s greatest mistakes has been to meet violence with violence.
I often wonder if the military colleges of the world teach about evading the threats of violence. For instance, who would have won at Waterloo if no one had shown up to fight? What would have happened at Agincourt if Henry V had decided to have breakfast in bed? How bad off would history have been if Horatius hadn’t kept the bridge if no one had given the order to “charge” at Balaclava or raid Dieppe?
What would happen if ten thousand welltrained soldiers were ready to die for a cause and nobody showed up to fight them?
Ten thousand expendable people aren’t too hard to come by these days, but they have ten
thousand weapons. They say that in some places, guns are easier to get than cigarettes!
How come in the far corners of the world where many modern wars are fought, are there so many weapons?
What about the mines in Vietnam, Africa or Afghanistan, produced from the same metals needed to make machine guns? And who makes them?
Big business is big business, and I’m afraid that the economy of more than one nation is dependent on the necessities of war!
Can it be true that society itself has mass-produced these implements of destruction, so vital to some world economies. Economies that are now facing those same weapons?
Y.T. (Yours Truly) knows firsthand that any suggestion about world affairs, practical or not, can be shouted down angrily by the ones who benefit from the sale of arms.
At a convention in Regina years ago, Y.T. had the occassion to discuss the implications of a far-off war, with a BTO (Big Time Operator).
It was in the dining room of the Saskatchewan Hotel, and Y.T. thought that his idea actually made sense. But it didn’t matter if it did or not, in the middle of our conversation, and as the people fromthe other tables stared, the BTO, at my first suggestion of commonsense, shouted me down and everybody
knew that in the view of the BTO, that anyone else’s suggestions were no good at all!
“Go home, Sonny!” the BTO yelled. “Go on home and hide your head under your bedovers. We’ll fight your war for you, because if we don’t go over there, they’ll come over here and fight us!”
Like I say, everyone just sat there and looked at the poor cluck who had just been shouted down!
The BTO yelled again!
“Put that in your pipe and smoke it!”
Of course they all knew that whatever point Y.T. was trying to make was no good, and the BTO was right! I kind of doubt if anyone in the room heard Y.T. mumble.
“I only smoke peacepipes anymore!”
It wasn’t until some time later, after Walter Cronkite made his historic trip to Vietnam, and U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson had fled to Texas, that the world began to realize the folly of it all!
[Cronkite, who had supported U.S. policies in Vietnam, “toured” the war-torn country. His assessment of the war was that America could not win. Johnson, watching the famed journalist’s broadcast, reportedly exclaimed, “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost Middle America” and support for the war - Editor.]
So, we’re back again to the “Squeaking Wheel”! This violence and attempt to outshout one
another can hardly be ignored,though, because it seems to be a part of success everywhere!
We were watching a program on TV the other evening that seemed almost non-stop violence. So we changed channels to where some political types were discussing a point. The objective of the whole program, if indeed it had an objective, seemed to be that whoever butted in the most and shouted the loudest, won!
How in the world can our so called “polite” society accept this kind of stuff from its representatives?
Here in this 10x12 room where Y.T. withdraws to drum up these little criticisms, it is kind of easy to pen his ideas of right and wrong. Out of some of those roaring platforms, it must be a little different?
Should we keep on producing machines of violence, even though the voices of our many pacifissts are continually shouted down by would-be lobbyists? Or do we bypass these guys and leave them standing on the street, weapons cocked and no one to shoot at?!
Lots of people will say, “Pooh, pooh!” when they read this little bit, but as an “experienced” pacifist, I must say, if the reader - or anyone who feels that they have to argue about this point of view - has ever shot a fellow man and then gone home to a loving family, they’ll know what I mean ... they’ll
Vincent the Piano Player
In the dimly lit corner of a cozy bar nestled in the heart of the city, a lone figure sat hunched over a piano.
His fingers danced gracefully across the keys, coaxing melancholic melodies from the instrument. The bar was empty now, save for the bartender quietly wiping down the counters, and a few scattered chairs awaiting the next day’s patrons. The night had aged, the lights seemed further away, and the once lively atmosphere had dwindled to a mere whisper.
Vincent was his name, a pianist with a soul drenched in sorrow. Night after night, he poured his heart out into his music, each note echoing the depths of his loneliness. But tonight, the emptiness felt heavier than usual. As a final chord faded into the silence, Vincent lingered at the piano, reluctant to let go of the one thing that understood him.
The bartender
approached, a sympathetic gaze in his eyes.
“Closing time, Vincent. You should head home.”
Vincent sighed, his fingers tracing the ivory keys one last time.
“I don’t want to go home,” he whispered, his voice barely a murmur.
“There’s nobody there anymore ... nobody at all.”
The bartender placed a comforting hand on Vincent’s shoulder.
“You’ve got to take care of yourself, Vincent. There’s more to life than this bar.”
Vincent couldn’t shake the emptiness that gnawed at his soul. The bar had become his refuge, the only place where he felt a semblance of belonging. Without the music, without the laughter and chatter of the crowd, he was adrift in a sea of solitude.
Reluctantly, Vincent rose from the piano bench, his heart heavy with the weight of his loneliness. With a lingering glance at the instru-
ment that had become his solace for so many hours, he said good night to the bartender and slowly made his way past the empty chairs and out into the gloom.
The city was shrouded in darkness, its streets deserted and silent. Vincent walked aimlessly, his footsteps echoing against the pavement like a haunting melody. He longed for the warmth of human connection, for someone to share his pain and understand his sorrow.
As he wandered, lost in his thoughts, a faint sound caught his ear. It was the distant strains of a violin, sweet and sorrowful, weaving its way through the stillness of the night. Intrigued, Vincent followed the sound until he came upon a small park bathed in moonlight.
There, beneath the shadow of an oak tree, stood a figure swaying gently to the music. It was a young woman with dark hair cascad-
understand! Sometimes I think that being a conscientious objector could be kind of easy, I don’t know. But being a conscien-
tious objector with experience, one who abhors the memory of the violence that made him one, is something else!
ing down her shoulders, her eyes closed in rapture as she played. Vincent approached, drawn to the haunting beauty of her melody.
Without a word, he sat down beside her. And in that moment, amidst the quiet serenade of the night, Vincent felt a glimmer of love and connection that he had thought lost forever.
For in the darkness, he knew he had found a kindred spirit who understood the depths of his sorrow. And as the music soared into the night, Vincent was no longer alone.
Christine Ibbotson
Ask The Money Lady advisor?
Dear Money Lady, I have just started trading in the stock market on my own (I don’t have that much saved yet) and I wondered if you could give me any information about investing as new trader. Do you think I can do this myself, or should I get a bank
Mike
Sure Mike, I can give you some pointers to get started. Remember, knowledge is power! The more you know the better!
Even if you plan to get a banker to invest for you, it is a good idea to have some idea of what is happening in the stock market and how it could affect you in the future.
The first thing I would say to get started, would be to make sure you align your personality with your investment strategy.
If you’ve got a short attention span, you might not be good at long-term swing trades. If you plan to be a long-haul investor then just follow your strat-
egy with or without your banker, and don’t bother watching the market every day. And if you want to be a day-trader, then remember, investing is not gambling. You can’t hop in and out of the market like a profit chasing junkie.
The market enjoys eating up inexperienced investors every single day.
To do it yourself, there’s plenty of software tools out there to allow you to practice first, Mike. Not until you start making money paper trading, preferably multiple times, should you ever consider moving into a live account. You want to make sure your strategies are viable so practice them first. Of course, it won’t help you with
the emotional aspects of trading, so always rember your capital is everything.
This goes for your banker too.
Make sure you understand their strategy, rationale, and investment goals with your money, before you hire them to work with you. Here’s some other things you should know about the stock market. The three most popular indicies for an investor to follow are the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nasdaq Composite.
The S&P monitors the top 500 companies in the US, the Dow covers the top 30 largest and most influential blue chip companies in the US and the Nas-
daq covers all the stock traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange (usually followed to see how technology stocks are doing).
Another index to check out would be the Wilshire 5000. This is a total market index and includes all publicly traded companies in the US.
Now if your looking for Mid- or Small-Cap stock picks, you will want to check out the S&P MidCap 400, the Russell Midcap or the Russell 2000. For bonds you want to check out the 10-year T-note Futures and also the 20-year Treasury bond futures.
You may be wondering why you should bother with these indices? Well, they provide an
insight on the economy, give us indicators for new trends and most of all they show investor sentiment. They are also used as benchmark indicies for some Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Mutual Funds (MFs) that you may want to invest in for the long term. Take it slow. Get some books on investing and you’ll get it.
Good luck and best wishes!
Written by Christine Ibbotson, author, finance writer, national radio host, and now on CTV Morning Live, and BNN, syndicated across Canada. Send your money questions (answered free) through her website at askthemoneylady.ca
First time ever seeing colour TV
It was November, 1967. I was seven years old and in town at a little girl’s birthday party one day after school.
The birthday party was rolling along in the basement recreation room with music, cake, punch and assorted kids’ games like pin-the-tail on the donkey. A good time was being had by all.
When suddenly, I had
to go to the bathroom.
Their bathroom was upstairs on the ground floor. So I went upstairs and found and used their bathroom. When I was finished in the bathroom, I had to go past their living room to get back downstairs.
But something I saw in their living room caught my attention and stopped me dead in my tracks:
THEIR FAMILY HAD A COLOUR TV!
I had never seen colour TV before in my entire young life! At that time, colour TV was still newfangled technology and was still in the introductory stages to the consuming public. And in relation to the average wage back then, new and emerging technologies like colour TV were incredibly expensive and still out of the range of
affordability for most people of the time.
We certainly couldn’t afford one.
All we had at our house at the time was an old black and white TV that we bought second-hand from my Dad’s brother. And on top of that, us living out in the country so far, we only got one lonely channel (CBC) on that blurry old black and white TV.
Their colour TV was the most amazing thing I had ever seen in my young life! I was enthralled by the bright and vibrant colours displayed on the screen.
And on top of that, what was actually being shown on the TV screen at that particular moment was both puzzling and absolutely mesmerizing to me.
I watched in utter fas-
cination as a couple of guys, one wearing a yellow shirt and the other with funny eyebrows and pointed ears and wearing a blue shirt, were using a little metal tube to talk to a giant blob of multicoloured sparkling light.
Open-mouthed, I was riveted to the spot. What I saw on their TV that day in glorious colour was so amazing I couldn’t look away.
Eventually I was called back downstairs to the birthday party. I practically had to tear myself away from what I was seeing on their TV to go back downstairs.
The party for that little girl was a nice time and we all had fun. Eventually my Dad came and picked me up from the party and took me home.
But what I had seen on their colour TV that day had made such a profound impression on me that I never forgot it.
Fast forward to 1974. After much pleading (mostly from me), that year we could finally afford to buy our very own colour TV! And in 1975 we got a TV tower with an aerial rotor that used a dial controller wired up inside the house to mechanically rotate the aerial so we could actually get three or four TV channels on a clear day!
TV-wise, our family was finally coming into the 20th century.
One day as I was happily exploring our little handful of new TV channels, I discovered that one of our new channels, CTV,
was carrying a syndicated science fiction TV show at that time that I had never seen or even heard of before. It was on every weekday at 5 p.m. and the name of this new show was ‘Star Trek’.
Once I started watching that show on our new colour TV, I was absolutely hooked! The sophisticated storylines, interesting characters, and the outstanding special effects for the time were absolutely mesmerizing. I instantly became a ‘Trekkie’ for life.
And when I was watching ‘Star Trek’ in 1975, the episode I was watching on one particular day suddenly seemed very familiar to me.
There, on the screen, were a couple of guys, one wearing a yellow shirt and the other with funny eyebrows and pointed ears and wearing a blue shirt. They were using a little metal tube to talk to a giant blob of multicoloured sparkling light.
And then it suddenly hit me: This was what I had seen on the colour TV at that little girl’s birthday party back in 1967!
Unbeknownst to me at that time, I had been witness to a small part of television history at that little girl’s birthday party in 1967: I had seen part of the first run of the ninth episode “Metamorphosis” of the second season of a bold new science fiction television series back then called ‘Star Trek’.
(This was the episode where Kirk and Spock were trying to persuade a
giant blob of light, female in nature and named ‘The Companion’, that she couldn’t love a human man named Zefram Cochrane who had been stranded on her little asteroid. I know how it sounds, but this was actually a classic ‘Star Trek’ love story!)
And as that Star Trek episode was being shown in our living room that day in 1975, in my mind I was carried back to that little girl’s birthday party in 1967, absolutely fascinated by the dazzling colours and special effects unfolding on their TV screen and unable to tear myself away.
Over the many years since then, I have seen that one particular Star Trek episode numerous times and ‘the bloom is now off the rose’, so to speak.
With a multitude of networks, hundreds of specialty channels and incredible CGI effects commonplace in almost every new video release nowadays, today’s kids couldn’t possibly understand just how amazing and groundbreaking the rudimentary special effects in the original ‘Star Trek’ series were on the emerging technology of colour TV back in the day.
But people of my generation will understand. And it was a joy to grow up in a simpler time when new and even more wondrous things than colour TV always seemed to be coming just around the corner!
Keith Schell Remember When
Crushing facilities making Canola the Sask. crop of choice
But, as it happened more than a few times through the years, the speculation of the office behind the keyboards writing stories was wrong.
Calvin Daniels Agriculture
by Calvin Daniels
There is no doubt the future of farming in Saskatchewan will be closely tied to the future of canola - now clearly the province’s number one crop in many ways.
And that Yorkton will play a very important role in that future.
As a long-time journalist in the city - some 35 years on the beat as they say - I would suggest outside the two flood disasters which impacted so many here so directly, the day the announcement of two canola crushing facilities coming to the city was the biggest local news story of all those years.
Chatter in the newspaper office at the time was that either Richardson or Louis Dreyfus - the two making their plant announcements mere hours apart - would flinch, deciding to move their planned plant somewhere else.
The tangible assets of Yorkton - a web of highways in every direction, both rail lines passing through, water, and a city with the people assets to serve a significant workforce, when combined with the ability of regional farmers to grow canola - won out and both plants were constructed.
That dual construction re-established the significant economic impact of agriculture to the city.
As implement manufacturing at Morris Industries and LeonRam began to downsize and ultimately close, processing plants like the two for canola took over.
In the case of canola it has been an overwhelming success tied to a commodity which has continued to carve out ever larger markets, resulting in continued processing expansion.
That has been huge for both Saskatchewan, and in particular Yorkton.
Richardson International has more than doubled the capacity of
its plant in Yorkton. It is now the largest construction project the company has ever undertaken, and the recent operational expansion makes the plant the world’s largest canola crusher, with an annual capacity of 2.5 million tonnes of seed.
Not to be overshadowed locally Louis Dreyfus Company announced in April 2023 it was expanding its canola processing facility in Yorkton. The project will double the company’s annual crush capacity to over two million tonnes upon completion.
Coupled with a more recently announced pea processing facility in the city, Yorkton has become the largest single site investment location for LDC, a company with interests worldwide.
The plants very much ensure the local economy and farm-gate production will remain connected for years to come, perhaps not surprising as Yorkton began as a hub to farmers arriving from Europe.
Certainly as goes canola, so will go Yorkton, the province and Saskatchewan farmers ... at least for the foreseeable future.
3 airborne hazards that could be hiding in your home
A home is supposed to be a place of shelter and safety, but to ensure this, there are things we need to know about and act on.
Here are three potential risks in the home that everyone should be aware of.
Volatile organic compounds
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are toxic chemicals used when manufacturing many household products. They’re the source of “new car smell” and the powerful odours you may have noticed offgassing from new furniture. Effects of exposure to VOCs include eye or throat irritation and headaches. Some are also suspected carcinogens, meaning they can cause cancer. When renovating or buying new products, look for products labelled as being made with “VOC-free” or “low-VOCs” to reduce the impact on your family’s health. Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide, or CO for short, is an odourless, tasteless gas
that comes from combustion appliances such as your furnace or stove. If it builds up in your home, it can cause everything from dizziness and headaches to serious illness and even death. The only way to know if you have dangerous levels inside is with a CO detector. It’s recommended that you install one on each floor of your home and outside every sleeping area. Radon Radon is another odourless gas that can severely impact your health. It comes from the
natural breakdown of uranium in the ground. Exposure to too much radon gas can be fatalin fact, it’s the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. The only way to know if you have dangerous radon levels in your home is to test for it. You can buy a DIY testing kit online or hire a certified radon expert to conduct the test for you. If elevated levels are detected, there are relatively easy and affordable ways to fix it. Learn more about radon testing at takeactiononradon.ca
BIGGAR ANNOUNCEMENT
Everyone from Biggar and the Surrounding areas is invited to attend
Blue Christmas
A Service of Prayer and Remembrance
To honor the memory of loved ones and friends
BIGGAR UNITED CHURCH 907 Quebec Street Biggar, SK ursday, December 5, 2024 7:00pm Refreshments to Follow
Sponsored by the: BIGGAR MINISTERIAL
The Saskatchewan Traveller ... Nova Scotia Edition by Trudy and Dale Buxton
We continue in the Town of Digby, where tourism has played a huge part of the economy of iconic burg and surrounding area. Digby is a full-service community and is the central hub for
SANTA CLAUS DAY
DECEMBER 14, 2024
Presented by:
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #138
3:00pm with a “FREE” movie at the Biggar Majestic Theatre
4:30pm at the Biggar Majestic Theatre (when the movie ends) we will have “FREE” Hot Chocolate
4:45pm Visit from “SANTA”
6:00pm Town wide “CHRISTMAS PARADE”
Thanks to: The Biggar Majestic Theatre
Shirley at Main Street Market
Biggar & District Day Care
The Town of Biggar
All Businesses are Welcome in our Parade
To pre register for the Parade and put in a Float.
Dale at 951-7700 or 948-3344
many other smaller communities in the area. It is also home to not one but two Tim Hortons ... not bad for a town of 2,000.
Home to the Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa. Built in 1905, Digby Pines has always been a tourism focal point for the area. This resort was once a premium hotel in the list of Canadian Pacific Hotel chain and has since been bought out by the Government of Nova Scotia.
The golf course for many years was ranked in the top 100 golf destinations in Canada and has since slipped to just outside the top 100, but still a very nice golf course to play.
If you are looking at travelling across the Bay of Fundy, Digby has a connecting ferry service to Saint John, New Brunswick, which saves a lot of time from going all around the Nova Scotia peninsula.
In early August it plays host to the annual Scallop Days Festival, which brings the early history of the community to the modern day era.
On Labour Day weekend in September, Digby hosts The Wharf Rat Rally, which has become the largest motorcycle rally in Atlantic Canada. The population of Digby goes from 2,000 to 50,000 for the long weekend and that, of course, includes thousands of motorcycles.
Bringing in millions of dollars to the local economy, The Wharf Rat Rally is one of the top destination stops on the motorcycle calendar.
We continue south on Highway 1 coming upon the tiny community of Gilberts Cove. Gilberts Cove is home to the selfproclaimed “Greatest Little Lighthouse in
Canada.”
It is named after Colonel Thomas Gilbert who first settled here in the late 1700’s after receiving a land grant worth about 600 acres of land from King George III. Thomas Gilbert was known as the leader of the New England Tories.
Gilberts Cove does have a four-star B&B along with a café serving up homemade goodies along with a gift shop.
After a brief stop we continue down the road to the Village of Weymouth.
Weymouth was first settled in 1760 by the New England Planters, settlers that colonized areas left vacant by the Acadian expulsion.
Weymouth was formally founded in 1783 by Loyalist James Moody, and the name Weymouth is named in honour of a previous family that had settled here from Weymouth, Massachusetts.
The population of Weymouth today is
around 500 people and the community has a very diverse culture including Mi’kmaq, British Loyalists, African Canadian, and Acadian peoples.
Weymouth is home to one of the world’s greatest boxers, Sam Langford. Although never crowned as world champion, he held titles from England, Spain, and Mexico.
Just outside of Weymouth is the community of New France that was notable for its early use of hydroelectric power generation giving it the nickname, “Electric City.”
Today there is not a lot left of New France except some walking trails and interpretative signs showing the past history. There are also one of the original offices of the Merchants Bank of Halifax, which later became the Royal Bank. Stay tuned as we continue our trip into Nova Scotia.
Don’t let radon
ruin your retirement
As we approach or start to enjoy the first years of our retirement, many of us plan to stay in the same home we raised our family in.
To do so safely, you might be looking into “aging in place” measures. These include adding grab bars in the bathroom, widening doorways for easier access for a wheelchair or walker, and adding additional lighting to make it easier to see potential tripping hazards.
Before you undergo any renovations to make your home safer and more comfortable for your retirement years, you should take one simple step: have your home tested for radon.
Radon is an odourless, tasteless gas that is also the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in the ground. Outside, it’s naturally dissipated by the breeze. But in indoor spaces, such as your basement, the gas can accumulate to dangerous levels.
The only way to know if you have high radon levels in your home is to test for it. You can buy a DIY testing kit online or hire a certified radon expert to conduct the
test.
If your home has elevated levels there are relatively easy and affordable ways to fix it. A mitigation system can be installed in about a day and will lower radon levels by up to 90 per cent. These systems cost about the same as installing a new furnace or air conditioner. Learn more about radon testing at takeactiononradon.ca
Gilberts Cove Lighthouse (Independent Photos by Dale Buxton)
Weymouth Bridge, Nova Scotia
Dos and don’ts when sharing festive treats with your dog
The holiday season is quickly approaching. Bring on the list-making, gift-giving, party-going time of year.
But what would the holidays be without delicious dishes to keep everyone feeling merry and bright? And by everyone, that includes our canine companions, of course.
Check out this list of pup and pet-parent-approved festive foods, as well as those to avoid:
Enjoy pumpkin: Can you even call it a holiday feast without pumpkin?
Good news for pupspumpkin is not off the table for them to enjoy. In fact, pumpkins are a superfood and are full of nutrients. Feeding dogs cooked or plain canned pumpkin can also be beneficial for their digestion because pumpkin contains fibrejust be sure to serve it free of sugar and spices.
Avoidchocolate: There’s no way to sugarcoat itchocolate is a no-go for dogs. The presence of both caffeine and a chemical called theobromine make chocolate toxic to dogs
because they aren’t able to metabolize them the way that humans can. If ingested, chocolate can lead to a spike in heart rate and blood pressure, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, seizures and more. Pet parents should then monitor their pup closely and check with a veterinarian.
Enjoy fresh meats: When cooked, fresh meat such as chicken, turkey, pork or beef, can satisfy cravings while also offering pups a nutritious meal that is
easy to digest. Pet parents can also choose a kibble made with fresh meats as a convenient option that supports dogs’ overall wellness.
Avoid table scraps: For many reasons, it’s best to skip the table scraps. Not only could an allergen or toxin be present that pet parents may not be aware of, there are several other health risks associated with feeding dogs table scraps, such as digestive issues like vomiting and diarrhea, and even more serious problems like
Make homemade gifts from the heart
Whether you’re planning a gift for a friend or loved one’s birthday, your anniversary or Valentine’s Day, giving something handmade is almost always going to be the most treasured gift of all. Here are four DIY gift ideas to try. Love coupons Who doesn’t love a coupon for free stuff?
If your partner’s love language is physical touch, the options may lean heavily on romantic gestures, like a foot rub or back massage. For those who prefer acts of service, they may be happier with things like a card to, “Get out of doing the dishes” that you can easily customize and print at home. A curated photo album
We’re now able to take photos of family, friends, holidays and other events more easily than ever. But once we snap a bunch of pictures on our phone, they tend to get lost in the ether. Make those memories last by compiling them into a photo album. With a printer you can seamlessly print professional-quality images at home from your phone or laptop using an app. Your album can be a collection of candid images of you hanging out with your friends this past year, or a compilation of shots from your vacation that the family can revisit for years to come.
Gift a meal
Share your favourite
recipe with friends by pulling together all the dry ingredients and storing them in a decorated Mason jar. Options include soup, cookies, waffle mix or the ingredients for your favourite dip. Print off the directions and a customized label. Tap into your skills
Do you have a hobby or hidden talent you could tap into? If you’re an artist at heart, you could make a personalized painting or drawing. Writers can draft up a hand-written poem or recap the story of a treasured time you spent together. If your hobby is knitting or crocheting, a scarf or some fuzzy socks are the perfect gift at this time of year.
pancreatitis. Plus, giving dogs caloric-dense food can contribute to obesity. Just like their pet parents, pups deserve to indulge a little over the holidays. But it’s important to ensure that what they eat leaves them feeling great.
Our community has not
by Delta Fay Cruickshank for the Biggar Museum
and Gallery
“A City that is set on a hill can not be hid” - You can see this headline on the mural on the wall of The Biggar Museum and Gallery.
This was the first headline on the town of Biggar’s first newspaper
“The Biggar World”. What did it mean? It was a quote from the Bible, just slightly changed:
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the
house.” Matthew 5:14-16
New King James Version (NKJV).
Did they just run out of room on the newsprint?
Did the editor of the first newspaper want to announce to the world that Biggar would promise not to hide its light but shine for all to see?
I don’t think that Biggar has been hiding its light under a basket. Despite two world wars, pandemics, financial depressions, and export of people for so many years, Biggar is still here!
The Grand Truck Pacific Railway Company had dreams of building great cities of commerce
hidden its light under a basket
and industry along their new tracks.
Unfortunately, one of the main promoters, Charles Melville Hays, sank with the Titanic in 1912. Then the First World War, 1914-1918, and then the Spanish Flu Pandemic in 1918. After that there was a gradual build up during the Roaring ’20’s, followed by early frosts which destroyed crops bringing on severe economic decline known as the Great Depression, and a few short years later, the Second World War.
Despite the hammering by world and local events, the town of Biggar survived. And the town is
thriving now! I know a couple of families who have moved into town from larger centres. They chose Biggar because it
was thriving! People come from all over the province to compete in sports, and cultural events, because
we have the facilities. Biggar has got it all to be a host and to call home.
How to plan a winter holiday for less
Are you already starting to feel the winter blues? Then you may be in need of a winter getaway.
But, if you’re worried about being able to afford a holiday right now, here are four tips that can help you plan an affordable holiday.
Book early
Booking as early as possible has two key advantages. For one, you’ll have the best selection
of destinations and travel options before the prime spots get booked up. Plus, the further in advance that you book your holiday, the better the deals you’ll likely find. Now, for example, is a great time to find deals for a European holiday in winter, spring and even beyond. Once your travel and accommodations are confirmed, look into prebooking tickets for any
bucket-list excursions to avoid disappointment. Consider different options
It’s peak season for beach resorts and ski hills so unless you already have an early bird deal or get lucky with a lastminute booking, you may be priced out of those destinations. But that doesn’t mean you
can’t get out of town for a bit. Consider more affordable temperate locations where you can shed your winter clothes while exploring the local cuisine, culture and attractions. Comparison shop Think about the type of consumer you are: do you like to choose things a la carte, or do you prefer
package deals? You can play around with different flight times, the calibre of accommodations, and the excursionsandattractions you’re interested in to find an itinerary that fits your budget. Or you can search through various curated self-guided or guided tour packages that take care of the planning for you. Pre-set packages
often build in volume discounts so you can see and do more for less. Use your points Most of us have a variety of rewards cards or apps that we use for different purchases. With some, you can use the points to book everything from flights and hotels, to complete resort stays, including travel.
The year that Biggar became a village was in 1909, and by 1911 it was a town. The editor of the first newspaper saw the growth and put his views as the headline on the first paper. Main Street west side of first block, 1909. (Photos for The Independent by the Biggar Museum and Gallery)
A view of the new town in 1909 on First Avenue East and beyond. Do you see St. Paul’s Anglican Church beyond?
Looking up Main Street from First Avenue. The Empire Hotel stood where Red Apple is now, 1909.
Nats still looking for a win ... National D-man, Ryan Novacosky deals with Hafford Hawk Ryan Schaefer, Friday at the Jubilee while Brett Novak looks on. Novacosky posted an assist on the night and Novak, a goal and an assist in the 5-2 loss. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
A baker’s dozen of sports questions, plus one, some of them penetrating, some of them just weird: Will the Winnipeg Blue Bombers pass on next year’s Canadian Football League playoffs, saying ‘No thanks. The annual heartbreak in the Grey Cup game is just too much to bear.’
After missing up to six weeks with a broken leg, will Alex Ovechkin score 27 more goals this year, giving him 895, one more than the all-time record held by Wayne Gretzky? Or will it take a few games next season for the Russian superstar to become No. 1?
If the Dodgers sign Juan Soto, adding him to a lineup featuring Ohtani, Freeman, Betts,
by Phil Heilman
Heartbreak once again for Bombers in Grey Cup
et cetera, can Major League Baseball just give the current World Series champs a bye into the 2025 World Series?
Where does the retired Rafael Nadal rank all time in the world of tennis? I have him at No. 5, behind Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg.
Do you worry that hockey’s best player, Connor McDavid, may rack up 2,000 career points or more yet retire in a decade or so without a single Stanley Cup?
Is After Hours, the late Saturday night interview show featuring broadcaster Scott Oake and an NHL player, on the ‘can’t-miss’ channel?
Why are Patrick Mahomes’ stats so ordinary yet his reputation as the best QB in the National Football League so solid?
And if you said that Mahomes is not the best QB and that Buffalo’s Josh Allen is actually better, would you get much of an argument?
A question we ask every year: Will 2025 be
the year Rory McIlroy completes the career grand slam by winning the Masters?
Did you know that 90 regular-season games of the Professional Women’s Hockey League will be televised this winter - 57 on TSN, 17 on CBC and another 16 on Prime Video?
Is there a more athletically strong family in Canada than the Nurses? Darnell plays for the Oilers, sister Kia plays pro basketball with the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA and one of their cousins, Sarah Nurse, is a hockey star with the Toronto Sceptres. Darnell and Kia’s father, Richard Nurse, played in the CFL for Hamilton and former NFL quarterback star Donovan McNabb is Darnell and Kia’s uncle. Speaking of family connections, is it one of the greatest hockey coincidences of all time that Connor Bedard and his cousin through marriage, Medicine Hat Tigers’ Gavin McKenna (class of ’26), will both go
into the record books as No. 1 overall draft picks in the NHL?
If you paid $250 for a ticket to watch the Philadelphia 76ers play basketball and star centre Joel Embiid took the night off to rest, because he didn’t want to play on back-to-back nights, would you ask for your money back?
Most golf fans know that Scottie Scheffler was the No. 1 money winner on the PGA Tour this year, and that Xander Schauffele was second, but would they know, or care, who finished atop the LIV list?
• Jack Finarelli, from his website sportscurmudgeon. com, on some of sports’ dragged-out replay reviews: “I remember the days when they used to refer to it as ‘Instant Replay.’ No more; now we have just plain ‘Replay.’”
• Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “Controversial Australian breakdancer Raygun has announced she has retired from
Sask West This Week
It was a light weekend for the Sask West Hockey League (SWHL) but where it lacked in quantity, it sure made it up in quality.
On Friday night, the Unity Miners hosted the Wilkie Outlaws, with the visitors came out on top 8-5.
The Miners struck first off the stick of Darian Dziurzynski, but Rick Cey tied things up just five minutes later, leaving it a draw after 20 minutes. In the second period, the Outlaws padded their lead thanks to two goals
from Mitch Suchan and Brett Boehm’s fourth of the year.
The final frame is where things became interesting, as Colby Ralston and Darian each scored just a minute apart to cut the lead down to 4-3. It was as close as they would get, as Mike Sittler, Ryan Keller, and Boehm (twice) extended the lead up to 8-3. Daniel Hilsendager and Tommy Feser would each score their first of the year to round out the scoring.
Curtis Sander secured the win, stopping 22 of 27 shots, while Ryan
Rewerts took the loss, stopping 40 of 48 shots.
Also on Friday night, the Biggar Nationals welcomed the Hafford Hawks into the Jubilee Stadium, but the Hawks left with a 5-2 win.
Zane Florence opened the scoring with his first as a Hawk, with Kobe Kindrachuk adding to the lead on the power play late in the opening frame. Jonathan Redlick would score to cut the lead to 2-1.
However, Brandon Lekso would have other ideas as he would score twice, once on the power
play, to give Hafford the 4-1 lead after two periods. Brett Novak of the Nationals and Kyle Litchenwald of the Hawks traded goals in the third to round out scoring.
Chase Honan took the win, stopping 31 of 33 shots, while Brett Matlock stopped 32 of 37 shots in the loss.
Three games are on the docket for the upcoming weekend. Wilkie hosts Edam, and Macklin hosts Hafford, both on Friday. The lone game on Saturday has Unity hosting the Mohawks.
breakdancing. She’s thinking of going into competitive Twister.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke. com: “I decided to check out a local seniors’ basketball league game. Action? Three fast breaks in the first period aloneone wrist and two hips.”
• Another one from RJ Currie: “Top three reasons TV viewers love curling: 3.) The game has a peel; 2.) It’s great with takeout; 1.) Action is end to end.”
• Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports, metaphorically describing Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones’ reluctance to hire a ‘real’ general manager instead of trying to do the personnel job himself: “He clearly likes to shop for his own groceries, but the Sunday meals that result from his choices have inspired more Pepto Bismol purchases than Michelin stars.”
• From The Sports Troll, on Facebook: “Disgusting scene at AT&T Stadium in Dallas as security forced a Cowboys’ fan to stay and watch the game
Biggar Bowl weekly scores
all the way to the end.”
• Super 70s Sports, on X: “The GiantsCowboys Thanksgiving game on FOX may be the first game in NFL history where one of the announcers could literally leave the booth and play better than either QB.”
• Comedy guy Torben Rolfsen again: “Vancouver Canucks traded Daniel Sprong to the Seattle Kraken for future considerations, aka Seahawks’ tickets.”
• RJ Currie again: “What do the Blue Bombers have in common with most of the people at the Grey Cup? They took the day off.”
• Headline at fark.com: “Man sues Netflix for not being able to watch Paul vs. Tyson fight. No word on class action suit from those who did watch the Paul vs. Tyson ‘fight’.”
• Care to comment? E-mail brucepenton2003@ yahoo.ca
Monday Adult Mixed
Tuesday Night Mixed
Thursday Afternoon Seniors
YBC
Biggar Bowling Weekly Scores
Ladies High Single - Marilyn Miller 257. Ladies High Triple- Marilyn Miller 646. Mens High Single - Jonathan Redlick 239. Mens High TripleJonathan Redlick 578.
Ladies High Single - Melissa Raschke 161. Ladies High Triple - Melissa Raschke 374. Mens High Single - Mat Harrabek 210. Mens High TripleSteven Little 516.
Ladies High Single - Bonnie Roesch 178. Ladies High Triple - Bonnie Roesch 470. Mens High Single - Walter Fernets 254. Mens High TripleWalter Fernets 616.
Pee Wee Single - Blake Foster 88; DoubleBenjamin Olson 142. Bantam Single - Nash Wheaton 152; Triple - Nash Wheaton 377. Junior Single - Bentley McNaughton 202; Triple - Bentley McNaughton 516. Senior High Single - Tegan Mcleod 206; High Triple - Tegan Mcleod 523.
Bruce Penton Penton on Sports
National Jonathan Redlick is surrounded by visiting Hafford Hawks at the Jubilee Stadium, Friday. Redlick put in a one goal, one assist night as did line-mate Brett Novak, all in a losing cause as the Hawks took a 5-2 win. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
Business & Professional …
Business & Professional
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ROSETOWN NATURAL HEALTH
Stay healthy, naturally!
311 Main Street, Rosetown Massage Therapy - Supplements
Aries, be careful what you ask for, as things have a funny way of coming true for you this week. Censor your thoughts for now, and perhaps hold your cards closer to the vest.
TAURUS –
Apr 21/May 21
Taurus, you may have a lot of anxious thoughts right now. Friends provide a welcome diversion later in the week, and you also may want to put in more hours at work to stay distracted.
GEMINI –
May 22/Jun 21
Gemini, plans aren’t panning out as you’d hoped, so consider other opportunities. Stop and consider all the possibilities as soon as possible and then make a decision.
CANCER –
Jun 22/Jul 22
Thoughts of love and relationships are on your mind, Cancer. However, you will have trouble expressing just how you feel to others. Think through your words before saying them.
LEO –
Jul 23/Aug 23
Leo, you are a whirlwind of activity, and this causes a bit of disruption to a normally organized week. Others may remark on how you seem to be all over the place, but you know your limits.
VIRGO –
Aug 24/Sept 22
It’s hard to imagine fitting anything else into your packed schedule, Virgo. Somehow you manage to do it. But the effects could prove stressful. Try lightening your load this week.
LIBRA –
Sept 23/Oct 23
It’s time to plan and prepare, Libra. Take out a pen and paper and start making lists or use a digital planner. It’s the only way to remain organized with so much going on.
SCORPIO –
Oct 24/Nov 22
Matters at home are a priority this week, Scorpio. Focus your attention on tackling things around the house and you’ll have more time to devote to fun down the road.
SAGITTARIUS –
Nov 23/Dec 21
It might be time to pinch some pennies, Sagittarius. This week you could come up a bit short, and it doesn’t bode well for the rest of the month. Consider new revenue streams.
CAPRICORN –
Dec 22/Jan 20
Capricorn, things turn out to be calm this week, and it is surprising how much you can accomplish. This slow pace is just the reprieve you’ve needed.
AQUARIUS –
Jan 21/Feb 18
Aquarius, there’s not much you can do about a particular problem, so it may be better to stop thinking about a solution. Put your attention toward something you can control.
PISCES –
Feb 19/Mar 20
Pisces, a few minor tweaks to your schedule and you could be able to tackle a number of tasks this week. Enjoy the productivity.
The Last Enemy by Warren Charlton, Biggar Associated Gospel Church
“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:26).
Death is not our friend. Death is not to be accepted as part of life but hated because it is the enemy of God and humankind.
Today in Canada there is a culture of death. Unborn children are killed legally by abortion and some who suffer intense pain choose MAID (medically assisted death).
But such choices sees death as a friend, an ally, even a blessing. Why does death exist? What are death’s origins? Death has not always been a part of life on earth.
Death came into the world through sin and death spread to everyone because all have sinned. Death is the penalty of our sin against God. Many fight against death with all their hearts. Consider the research for the cures of horrendous diseases. We bless doctors and nurses for their determination to preserve our life from death. In their own way they acknowledge that death is the “Great Enemy”. They are all fighting against death.
I have good news. Death is a defeated enemy. And one day death will be destroyed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Death was defeated by Jesus through his death on the cross and by his resurrection from the grave. Jesus removed the sting of death when he died for our sins. He overcame the power of death when he arose from the grave on the third day never to die again. Death will be destroyed forever when Jesus returns to earth.
At his return, all those who belong to Jesus will be raised from the dead. We will put on imperishable bodies and be clothed with immortality. At death we go home to be with our Saviour in His glory. We die with the sure and certain hope of the resurrection from the grave. Dust and ashes is not our eternal destiny. Death for us has lost its terrors.
Jesus said, “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10). He is Life-Giver and Destroyer of Death. Do you belong to Jesus? Do you rejoice that Jesus defeated death and one day our last enemy will be destroyed by King Jesus!
This is the promise of the gospel to everyone who believes in him.
CLUES ACROSS
48. When you expect to get somewhere
Songs 52. Pair of small hand drums
Play 56. Sword
60. Evergreens and shrubs genus
61. Filmed
63. Italian Seaport
64. Ancient kingdom near Dead Sea
65. Pores in a leaf
66. U. of Miami mascot is one 67. Snakelike fishes
68. Pretended to be 69. Body part CLUES DOWN
1. Piece of felted material
2. Ancient Greek City 3. Aquatic plant
4. Potentially harmful fungus (Brit. sp.)
5. Body art (slang) 6. One who follows the rules 7. Ordinary 8. Honorably retired from assigned duties and retaining one’s title 9. Relaxing space 10. Japanese socks 11. Indian city 12. Rip 13. Icelandic book 21. Satisfies
23. Where golfers begin
25. Small amount
26. Snag
27. Determine the sum of
28. A distinctive smell
29. Exposed to view
32. Stain or blemish
33. Small loop in embroidery
34. River herring genus
36. Large beer
37. Deep, red-brown sea bream
38. Partner to cheese
40. At a deliberate pace
41. Gurus
43. Of each
44. Angry
46. Popular beverage
47. Flower cluster
49. Blocks
50. Those who benefitted from efforts of relatives (slang)
51. Polio vaccine developer
52. A (usually) large and scholarly book
53. Popular soap ingredient
54. NBAer Bradley
57. Popular movie about a pig
58. Musician Clapton
59. Not a sure thing
61. Recipe measurement (abbr.)
62. Father
April 17, 1937 - November 19, 2024
With sadness the family of Dorothy May McCarty announce her peaceful passing in the late afternoon of November 19, 2024, with her family by her side. Dorothy was born April 17, 1937 the first daughter for Ezra Allan and Mary (nee Bosnell) Oesch on the farm south of Biggar. She had eight siblings. Older brothers Bill, Ed, Ray, Alvin and Bob, then three younger Ted, Joan and Ernie. Mom helped raise her siblings and enjoyed her high school friendships and activities. At nineteen she married her brother’s friend Bill McCarty. They spent most of their married life on the farm south of Biggar. She supported her husband’s many endeavors. They raised four children together. Mom kept busy with children, garden and raising chickens and turkeys. She was a wonderful cook. Cookie jars were always full and her homemade doughnuts were delicious. The coffee pot was always on and friends and family welcome to visit. She enjoyed country music and dancing. Charlie Pride was her favourite. She loved large family gatherings. Her grandchildren and their families had her heart. She was a special Aunt Dot to many nieces and nephews. Mom finally got her driver’s license in her forties’ and enjoyed the freedom of her own car. She paid for her car working at the admission booth at the Biggar Skating Rink. She also worked for Home Care in Biggar and enjoyed her many clients. She was
the #1 bowler on her team. Mom also enjoyed bingo and cards, but in the Winter she would hibernate as she hated the snow. She collected bowls and we are all well stocked with all sizes and types. She spent her retirement living in town, sitting in her purple veranda with friends. People watching was her joy. Dorothy is lovingly remembered and missed by her children, Debra (Bill) Stefanuk and family Sean, Nicole, children (Kacee and Grayson), Josh;
Carson (Cindy) McCarty and family Allie (Justin) children (Avery and Emily) Kaila (Jim) children (Tucker, Olive, Troy);
Laura (Boyd) Suter and family Lyndsey (Wade) children (Bennett and Emma) Draiton (Carla), Jared (Hayley) child (Rowan); Audrey (Leon) Ochs and family Morgan, Lisa (Chris) child (Declan), Derek (Crysta), Kate (Cody); and her friend Raymond McBee and his family. The family would like to thank the staff at Biggar & District Health Centre where she resided since November 10, 2023, for their excellent care. Dorothy will be missed by family and friends.
A Celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 2:00PM at Biggar United Church.
Tributes may be directed to a charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to Gerein Funeral Service.
BRENDA MARIE IVES
July 19, 1961 - November 22, 2024
In loving memory of Brenda Marie Ives. It is with deep sadness to announce the sudden passing of our beloved wife, mother, sister and Nana. She was a loving, caring and supportive presence in their lives, and her loss has left a profound hole in their hearts. Brenda is survived by her husband of 43 years, and the love of her life, Brian Ives; her children Jennifer (Stephan) Ives (grandchildren Casey, Arrianna and Cabri), Chantelle (Jon) Fillmore (grandchildren Violet, and Odessa), Shaunna (Nick) Dearing (grandchildren Cooper, Carver, Eva), Nikita (Braden) Ives (grandchild Harrison); her sister
Yvonne (Kevin) Bertin (nephew Christopher); brothers Glenn (Joy) Zbytovsky, Jim (Dawn) Zbytovsky; and sisters-inlaw Rhonda Hynne (nephew Tyler), Roxanne Silbernagle (nephew Jeffery and family). She was predeceased by her parents Roy and Marilyn Zbytovsky; and grandmother Evelyn Tomayer. There will be no Funeral Service held at this time. Tributes may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Society of Saskatchewan or the Canadian Mental Health Association. Arrangements entrusted to Gerein Funeral Service.
St. Gabriel roman CatholiC ChurCh
109 - 7th Ave.W, Biggar Father Edward Gibney Parish Phone: 306-948-3330
Saturday Mass.......7:00p.m. Sunday Mass....... 11:00a.m. our lady of fatima CatholiC ChurCh, Landis Sunday Mass.......9:00a.m.
Presbyterians, Anglicans and Lutherans
St.Pauls Anglican Redeemer Lutheran 205 4th Ave. E 319 7th Ave. E
DECEMBER 8 10:30am Regular Worship
DECEMBER 15 10:30am Lessons & Carols DECEMBER 22 10:30am Regular Worship DECEMBER 24 7:00pm Christmas Eve Worship (St. Pauls Anglican Church) Rev. Daphne Bender Pastor’s cellular Phone: 1-306-621-9559
Biggar associated gospel church 312 - 8th Ave.W. and corner of Quebec St., Biggar Sunday Service 10:30 a.m.
All are welcome to come and join us Biggar United ChUrCh
REGULAR SERVICES SUNDAY 11:00 am Minister Dale Worrall Inquires Call Church Office 306-948-2280 Leave Message
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH SATURDAY SERVICES BIBLE STUDY 10:00a.m. CHURCH SERVICE 11:00a.m. 320 - 6th ave.east contact: 306-951-8445 3 abn www.amazingfacts.org
NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH
...In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope...1Pe 1:3 You are Invited Sunday Tea and Coffee -10:15am Worship - 10:30am NEW HORIZONS 117 3rd Ave. W, Biggar For more info - Philip Watson - 250-487-8476 Worship - 10:30 a.m.
You are invited to help Beth Young celebrate her 95th birthday With a come and go tea Saturday, December 14th at the Biggar
Building a smarter Canadian home in 2025
As we move further into the digital age, the concept of a “smart home” is becoming increasingly accessible. In 2025, Canadian homeowners are leveraging advanced technologies to create more efficient, secure and comfortable living spaces.
Here’s how you can transform your home into a smarter, more efficient haven.
Stay updated with AIpowered computing Technology evolves rapidly, so staying updated is key to maintaining an efficient smart home. Thinking of upgrading your computer in 2025?
Consider an AI-powered laptop, such as those from Intel, which have artificial intelligence capabilities built into the brain of the computer: their processors. These laptops, called AI PC, can analyze data from your smart home ecosystem, providing insights and recommendations to keep your devices upto-date and functioning efficiently.
DEADLINE MONDAY
time alerts and allow you to keep an eye on your property from anywhere, any time.
Automate routine tasks
Focus on energy efficiency
Smart technology can significantly reduce your home’s energy consumption. Invest in smart thermostats that learn your schedule and adjust temperatures accordingly, or smart lighting systems that turn off when rooms are unoccupied. These devices don’t just lower your energy bills - they contribute to a greener environment.
Enhance security
A smart home is a secure home. Install smart locks, video doorbells and security cameras that you can monitor remotely. These devices provide real-
Automation is at the heart of a smart home. Use smart plugs and switches to automate routine tasks like turning on the coffee maker or watering the garden. Voice assistants can also help manage daily chores, making your life more convenient and freeing up time for other activities.
Consider professional installation
While many smart home devices are designed for easy DIY installation, some systems may require professional expertise. Consider hiring a professional for complex installations, like home security systems, to ensure your devices are set up correctly.
Building a smarter Canadian home in 2025 isn’t just about adopting the latest gadgets; it’s about creating a more cohesive, efficient and secure living environment.
